CRYSTALLUM LOST DREAMS | Fantasy Novel |

Chapter 3 - Part 1

"We're going to Edel," Marmorel said as she swatted away an overly persistent mosquito.

Aran tightened his mouth and widened his eyes.

"Oh, Edel," the merchant said with a cunning expression, "it's not something for everyone." He filled her glass and looked at the young Allet.

"I'm not thirsty," he said.

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before," the merchant muttered, pausing for a moment, with his eyes squinted, focused on the boy.

Aran raised an eyebrow and made another denial gesture. "I don't think so."

The merchant nodded slowly and stepped back. He stared at Aran for such a long time that Cora thought he had gotten sick and would collapse soon with the whole jug. But he moved again and said, "It takes a lot of gold coins to undertake such a journey."

Aran tightened his grip on the bag with more force. The merchant turned away with half a smirk on his face and without saying anything else, he left as he had come.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Aran stood up from his seat and positioned himself between Cora and Fez. "That's Dorian 'Cold Fish'!" he exclaimed.

Cora laughed. "Cold Fish?"

"Keeo it down or he'll hear you!" The young Allet looked around. "He used to trade in minor stolen goods, but one day he got a shipment of Cec systems stolen from Clodia. He wanted to sell them to my father. He almost ended up in jail. He's not a trustworthy guy."

Elidana held back a laugh. "Do we have to worry about Cold Fish?"

"I don't know, he doesn't know half measures and if he's spotted the gold coins, you can be sure he'll be after us." Aran looked back at Marmorel. "Let's avoid saying we're going to Edel, people ask questions and that's the last thing we want."

Marmorel flushed red in the face. "Yes, sorry ... I didn't think."

They finished their meal in a hurry and throughout the time, Aran kept an eye on Dorian who was talking to the other passengers in his carriage. From time to time, he would turn in their direction and whisper something to the companion next to him. Each time Aran sighed and held the bag tighter. Until, after the man's repeated look, the boy jumped to his feet. "I'm going to sleep. At least in the carriage, I'll feel safer. Are you coming?"

"I'm not going to sleep because of him, there are knights and I think you're overreacting," Elidana snapped.

"Do as you please, but be careful," Aran whispered before setting off with Marmorel and Fez.

Cora took his time and tied his shoe laces, while Elidana took advantage of the silence to start reading The Infinite Moons of Zaal: another of the romantic books she had brought with her.

He glanced at her briefly and felt a sense of unease that he couldn't explain. He had known Elidana for five years now, since she arrived at the orphanage.

She was born in Harall, a city by the lake of Farent in the far north of the Republic. Orphaned, she spent her childhood bouncing from foster home to foster home until finding a place in Lud. When she opened the door of the orphanage, accompanied by a city counselor, Cora knew his life was going to change drastically.

The ashes of the bonfire rose slowly in puffs that disappeared into the night and, gradually, the diners left their seats to return to the carriages. Cora trew brief glances at Elidana's delicate profile, lit by the warm glow of the flames. His heart, as it had been happening for months, rose in his throat faster. As usual, he tried to ignore that feeling, to deny it. But the blood flowed faster when he was alone with her: between long silences and fleeting gestures without an apparent meaning. He didn't understand how the relationship of mutual disinterest could turn into a dazed expression every time he stopped to admire her. But one thing he was sure of... he didn't want to take his eyes off her.